I have this friend. She’s practically a walking Barbie Doll, platinum blonde and her favorite color is glitter. Our whole lives we have basically done everything together. Shared jobs, clothes, tears and countless memories. She is every bit indicative of my adolescence. She remembers things I wish she didn’t (like that awful hairstyle I had for years), she never fails to say the perfect thing to me when I’m feeling down, she is always a great time.

Naturally, doing everything together since we were practically babies, it would make sense to get married together (ie: Bride Wars without the actual war). I remember picking out our engagement rings together, talking about color schemes before we even had any bling. When I got engaged I knew she would follow days or weeks later. I could barely contain my excitement when she called and told me that her beau finally popped the question.

And on our planning marathon went. We both had 18 month engagements, we swapped online vendors and Pintrest boards, gushed about the new registry item we just added. We both dreamed of our fairy tale moments side by side, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

So now that my big day has come and gone (and was the most magical day I could have ever dreamed of) I can now solely focus on the wedding fever plaguing my best friend. We live thousands of miles apart and this week that we have spent together has been needed and appreciated. I was there with her for her bachelorette, we both helped each other out of our Mexicoma’s, and together with our third Mustateer threw her the most darling tea party bridal shower.

But to be totally honest, I am a little sad. I don’t know if my friends felt this way on my wedding but I feel like I am saying goodbye, and goodbye’s really really stink. It feels like the end of an era. I feel so grown up and want to catapult myself back to junior year of high school (who EVER says that!?). I feel my life is a walking Vitamin-C song. I feel like we are packing up and leaving for college all over again. The distance seems too real. And I’m not all that surprised with these emotions of mine. I know some of our other lifelong friends feel that same little lump in their throats every time we hear her say her new last name. It’s all so bittersweet. However I guess I am grateful for feelings like this. Because I know I feel this way because I care for my best friend so much. Her happiness is sometimes paramount to my own. Her sadness is my sadness. Her tears are my tears, her celebrations are mine too.

In just two short days I will stand beside Lauren as she marries her best friend. I can guarantee there will be tears, lots of them. But I can also guarantee that it will be one of the best days ever. My heart is exploding with excitement for her, for all the love and gratitude coming her way. My dress is steamed and my dancing shoes are awaiting their big performance. My nails are prepped to be pained and my spray tan is scheduled. And as I check all these items off my list I am reminded of how completely lucky I am to have a friend like this. A friend who knows me better than I know myself sometimes, a friend who truly gets me and makes me want to be a better human and friend. And though she will always be LoJo to me I could not be happier for her as she starts her forever.

So to you Ryan and Lauren, I love you both immensely, cheers to your happily ever after.